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Description: Part of the weekly lessons based on current events at www.headsupenglish.com. The lesson may be easily adjusted to focus on vocabulary, listening, reading, or speaking, and contains enough material...

Part of the weekly lessons based on current events at www.headsupenglish.com. The lesson may be easily adjusted to focus on vocabulary, listening, reading, or speaking, and contains enough material for more than one session. Supporting materials may be found at Heads Up English.

Black Day – February 10, 2008

Upper-Intermediate

the ARTICLE (for instructors)
Black Day
Whether you love it or despise it, almost everyone around the world knows Saint Valentine's Day. Then there's White Day on March 14th, when men who received chocolate buy sweets for women. Fewer people have heard of Sweetest Day, though, which is a holiday crafted by candy makers in the US for mid-October. Loved ones purchase candy and small gifts for each other on this day. But have you ever heard of Black Day?

Black Day is a uniquely Korean holiday. It was created in response to the overly sweet Valentine's Day and White Day. Like some other countries, Koreans have adopted the tradition of obligatory chocolate for both holidays. Women give chocolate not only to husbands or boyfriends, but to male coworkers, friends, and love interests on Valentine's Day. Men do the same for women on White Day. The amount of chocolate one receives gauges the popularity of the person.

Black Day, which falls on April 14th, lets the loveless sympathize with one another. People who didn't receive any chocolate or gifts on either Valentine's Day or White Day wear black clothes. Black advertises their single status, and sort of offers the opportunity to meet similarly single men and women. People who celebrate Black Day also eat a noodle dish with black bean sauce, drink alcohol, and gripe about romance and love. There aren't any presents to buy. There aren't any unfulfilled hopes. Few people know about the holiday outside of Korea, and perhaps this is the best part about the day. It hasn't been marketed and sold to the consumer like its opposite counterparts in February and March.

Teacher's Notes:

* Underlined words in red typeface are the recommended vocabulary for this lesson. Heads Up English - page 1 www.headsupenglish.com

Black Day – February 10, 2008
Upper-Intermediate

WARM-UPS
Select one or all of the following warm-up activities.
1. Define: What does "holiday" mean? Can you use it in a sentence? Can you give examples?

2. Brainstorm: Brainstorm with a partner(s) words and ideas associated with "Valentine's Day" for 1 minute, then brainstorm words and ideas associated with "White Day" for 1 minute. Spend another 5 minutes or less discussing the words and ideas together.

4. Do you agree or disagree? Why? a. Saint Valentine's Day is the best holiday of the year! b. If I'm single on Saint Valentine's Day, I feel lonely and depressed. c. There's a lot of pressure to buy gifts and have romantic dinners on Valentine's Day. d. I wish there were a holiday to celebrate being single. e. All holidays are a complete waste of time!

5. Rank It!: Which holiday is the greatest? Rank the choices from best to worst. Remember to support your decisions! a. New Year's Eve and/or New Year's Day b. Easter c. Christmas d. Saint Valentine's Day e. Halloween

) it, almost everyone around the world knows Saint Valentine's Day. ) by candy makers in the US.

b. Fewer people have heard of Sweetest Day, which is a holiday ( ) Korean holiday. ) the tradition of other countries. ) chocolate for Valentine's Day and White Day.

f. The amount of chocolate one receives (

) the popularity of the person. ) with one another. ) about romance and love. ) in February and March.

g. Black Day, which falls on April 14th, lets the loveless ( h. People eat a noodle dish with black bean sauce, drink alcohol, and ( i. There aren't any ( ) hopes. j. It hasn't been marketed and sold to the consumer like its opposite (

pre- or post-COMPREHENSION
1. Word Association: Brainstorm words associated with today's topic for two minutes. Present to the class.

2. Brainstorm Questions: Brainstorm questions that you would like to ask about today's topic. Answer the questions without looking at the article.

3. True or False?: Guess (before the article) or answer (after the article) whether the sentence is true or false. If false, correct the sentence. a. Most everyone around the world knows Valentine's Day, White Day, and Sweetest Day. b. Black Day was created in response to Saint Valentine's Day and White Day. c. The amount of chocolate received measures a person's popularity. d. Anyone can celebrate Black Day. e. Black Day will be marketed around the world like its counterparts, Valentine's Day and White Day. 4. Questions: Answer the questions to check comprehension. a. What information does the article give about Sweetest Day? b. In Korea, what happens on Valentine's Day? How about White Day? c. Who celebrates Black Day? d. What happens on Black Day? e. According to the article, what is the best feature of Black Day? 5. Vocabulary: In pairs/groups, remember how the words were used in today's article. a. despise b. crafted c. uniquely d. adopted e. obligatory f. gauges g. sympathize h. gripe i. unfulfilled j. counterparts T/F T/F T/F T/F T/F

6. Fragments: Remember how the fragments were used, and complete the sentence from today's article. a. Then there's White Day on March 14th, when... b. Fewer people have heard of Sweetest Day, though, which is... c. Like some other countries, Koreans have adopted... d. Women give chocolate not only to husbands or boyfriends, but to... e. Black advertises their single status, and...

Heads Up English - page 5 www.headsupenglish.com

Black Day – February 10, 2008
Upper-Intermediate

post-COMPREHENSION
1. Vocabulary: Circle any additional unknown words/phrases in the article. In pairs/groups, use your dictionaries to understand the meanings. Present to the class.

2. Class Questions: Read through the article once more, and write down any questions that you would like to discuss in pairs/groups or as a class. Discuss.

3. Summarize: Work with a partner to summarize the article in your own words.

4. Discuss: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers! a. Did you like this article? b. What was your general impression after reading this article? c. How do you feel about Valentine's Day? How about White Day? Please explain. d. How do you feel about Black Day? Please explain. e. Would you celebrate Black Day? Why/not? f. Will Black Day spread around the world and become a commercial holiday? Why/not? g. Have you ever celebrated a holiday, but didn't see much point in doing so? Why/not? h. Does your country have any unique holidays? Please explain. i. What is a holiday, apart from possibly a day off from school or work? j. If you could create a new holiday, what would it celebrate? Please explain. 5. Discuss: You have the chance to create a new holiday! Work with a partner/group to brainstorm possible answers to the questions below. But don't let the questions limit your imagination! Share your new holiday with the class. What will it celebrate? When will people celebrate the new holiday? How will people celebrate it? Will people go anywhere special? How about buy / eat / do anything special? ???

STUDENT HANDOUT (the article)
Black Day
Whether you love it or despise it, almost everyone around the world knows Saint Valentine's Day. Then there's White Day on March 14th, when men who received chocolate buy sweets for women. Fewer people have heard of Sweetest Day, though, which is a holiday crafted by candy makers in the US for mid-October. Loved ones purchase candy and small gifts for each other on this day. But have you ever heard of Black Day?

Black Day is a uniquely Korean holiday. It was created in response to the overly sweet Valentine's Day and White Day. Like some other countries, Koreans have adopted the tradition of obligatory chocolate for both holidays. Women give chocolate not only to husbands or boyfriends, but to male coworkers, friends, and love interests on Valentine's Day. Men do the same for women on White Day. The amount of chocolate one receives gauges the popularity of the person.

Black Day, which falls on April 14th, lets the loveless sympathize with one another. People who didn't receive any chocolate or gifts on either Valentine's Day or White Day wear black clothes. Black advertises their single status, and sort of offers the opportunity to meet similarly single men and women. People who celebrate Black Day also eat a noodle dish with black bean sauce, drink alcohol, and gripe about romance and love. There aren't any presents to buy. There aren't any unfulfilled hopes. Few people know about the holiday outside of Korea, and perhaps this is the best part about the day. It hasn't been marketed and sold to the consumer like its opposite counterparts in February and March.

Black Day
Whether you love it or (a. _______________) it, almost everyone around the world knows Saint Valentine's Day. Then there's White Day on March 14th, when men who received chocolate buy sweets for women. Fewer people have heard of Sweetest Day, though, which is a holiday (b. _______________) by candy makers in the US for midOctober. Loved (c. _______________) purchase candy and small gifts for each other on this day. But have you ever heard of Black Day?

Black Day is a (d. _______________) Korean holiday. It was created in response to the overly sweet Valentine's Day and White Day. Like some other countries, Koreans have (e. _______________) the tradition of (f. _______________) chocolate for both holidays. Women give chocolate not only to husbands or boyfriends, but to male coworkers, friends, and love interests on Valentine's Day. Men do the same for women on White Day. The amount of chocolate one receives (g. _______________) the popularity of the person.

Black Day, which falls on April 14th, lets the loveless (h. _______________) with one another. People who didn't receive any chocolate or gifts on either Valentine's Day or White Day wear black clothes. Black advertises their (i. _______________) status, and sort of offers the (j. _______________) to meet similarly single men and women. People who (k. _______________) Black Day also eat a noodle dish with black bean sauce, drink alcohol, and (l. _______________) about romance and love. There aren't any presents to buy. There aren't any (m. _______________) hopes. Few people know about the holiday outside of Korea, and perhaps this is the best part about the day. It hasn't been (n. _______________) and sold to the consumer like its opposite (o. _______________) in February and March.

Heads Up English - page 8 www.headsupenglish.com

Black Day – February 10, 2008
Upper-Intermediate

STUDENT HANDOUT (extended listening)
Listen and fill in the missing sentences. Compare answers with a partner, and then listen once more.

Black Day
Whether you love it or despise it, almost everyone around the world knows Saint Valentine's Day. Then there's White Day on March 14th, when men who received chocolate buy sweets for women. Fewer people have heard of Sweetest Day, though, which is a holiday crafted by candy makers in the US for mid-October. a) _________________________ ___________________________________. But have you ever heard of Black Day?

Black Day is a uniquely Korean holiday. b) ___________________________________________________________. Like some other countries, Koreans have adopted the tradition of obligatory chocolate for both holidays. Women give chocolate not only to husbands or boyfriends, but to male coworkers, friends, and love interests on Valentine's Day. Men do the same for women on White Day. c) ____________________________________________________________.

Black Day, which falls on April 14th, lets the loveless sympathize with one another. d) __________________________ ___________________________________. Black advertises their single status, and sort of offers the opportunity to meet similarly single men and women. People who celebrate Black Day also eat a noodle dish with black bean sauce, drink alcohol, and gripe about romance and love. There aren't any presents to buy. There aren't any unfulfilled hopes. Few people know about the holiday outside of Korea, and perhaps this is the best part about the day. e) ____________________________________________________________.

pre- or post-Comprehension 1. True or False: a. b. c. d. e. F T T F F 2. Fragments: a. b. c. d. e. men who received chocolate buy sweets for women. a holiday crafted by candy makers in the US for mid-October. the tradition of obligatory chocolate for both holidays. male coworkers, friends, and love interests on Valentine's Day. sort of offers the opportunity to meet similarly single men and women.

2. Extended Listening a. b. c. d. e. Loved ones purchase candy and small gifts for each other on this day It was created in response to the overly sweet Valentine's Day and White Day The amount of chocolate one receives gauges the popularity of the person People who didn't receive any chocolate or gifts on either Valentine's Day or White Day wear black clothes It hasn't been marketed and sold to the consumer like its opposite counterparts in February and March